2014 Map of Upsal Hogback

About this map

The California Emigrant Trl cuts across this arid landscape, following a historical corridor through what is identified as the Fortymile Desert. This segment of the trail illustrates the difficult passage westward, where travelers faced waterless stretches before reaching the next reliable source. The terrain is dominated by the volcanic forms of the Upsal Hogback and the southern reaches of the Hot Springs Mountains. To the east, the map captures the transition into the Carson Sink, a vast terminal drainage basin where the Carson River traditionally ended. The presence of these prominent landforms and the historic trail route highlights the area's role as a bottleneck and a landmark for mid-19th-century overland travel through the Great Basin.